Lawmaker receives ethics fine

McALLEN, Texas (AP) – A South Texas legislator under investigation for his air travel and land holdings has been fined by the Texas Ethics Commission for improper accounting on campaign reports.

State Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, said Monday he had already paid the $1,100 fine from campaign funds. The fine is unrelated to the investigation by Travis County prosecutors.

The commission released a finding Dec. 18 that said there was evidence to show Flores improperly registered reimbursement payments to staffers for things such as a parade float and “Christmas party music.” The payments totaled more than $7,700 in campaign reports filed in 2006, 2007 and 2008, according to the commission report.

On Monday, Flores gave the example of a float he ordered for the Mission Citrus Parade. He said he recorded a reimbursement payment to a staff member in a lump sum, but the commission wanted him to list the individual vendors that money was used to pay.

“They wanted an itemized list that I didn’t have,” Flores said. Flores filed corrections to the reports in October.